Warm and Frosty
by sykilik101
Summary: A blizzard leaves Pallet Town a cold, windy place. Ash struggles to find sleep and stay warm in the weather, but he's not nearly THAT lucky. Thankfully, a certain redhead is available to help. AAML Pokeshipping


**For the record, this fic is very…blank. I didn't have it proofed, and I haven't looked it over yet myself. I just needed something to write to get out of my writer's block, and this is what I got. It's small, it's likely crap, but I like it. Enjoy!**

**EDIT:** The fic has now been edited, so it should be better now. L=

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon or any of the characters or places associated with it.

**Dedication:** To SepharicDawn from deviantART, who prompted me to write this, in an effort to break my writer's block. =)

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Warm and Frosty

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It was cold. WAY too cold for Ash's tastes, as he huddled on the couch of his home, wrapped heavily in a thick blanket. A shiver coursed through him, a chill not even his protection from the weather could repel. He glanced out the window, seeing nothing but black and white as snow careened from the night sky. The wind wailed and screeched, gently barraging the front door. There'd never been many blizzards in Pallet Town; in fact, this was one of the few times Ash had seen his hometown in such a state. The howling wind echoed through the tiny cracks of the house, joining with the icy forces to send Ash quivering once again. He cringed; it would be much easier to keep warm if he were wearing more than just a black shirt and shorts. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option, he reminded himself with a steely growl and a wince. After all, _she_ was in his room, and he didn't dare wake her. How _anyone_ in all of Pallet could sleep in this storm was beyond him, but as if on cue, the natural beast behind the walls of his home roared once more, a cruel reminder of how freezing he was.

A series of thuds creaked behind him, almost camouflaged by the small crashes and claps ringing in his ears. He cocked his head back, catching a glimpse of fiery hair sticking out like a beacon. He turned his body to get a better look, as the figure suddenly halted at the foot of the stairs. He could barely make out her face, but saw enough of her expression to see she was looking at him, unmoving.

"Ash, are you awake?"

He nodded, not considering that in the darkness that she could see his gesture of affirmation. "Yeah. Can't sleep. It's way too cold." He subconsciously opened a gap in his blanket, instantly regretting doing so as a heap of the warmth he'd retained escaped, allowing the cold to slither inside. He tightened his hold on the cloth, moving back and forth to regain his heat. His eyes had fully adapted to the lack of light, allowing him to see Misty move towards him with a small grin.

"I know what you mean. It's really snowing hard, isn't it?" Ash nodded, focusing more on retaining what comfort he could stockpile in his current situation.

"Wanna make some hot chocolate?"

The thought had come to him numerous times, but the idea to keep still and savor what warmth he could sounded far more appealing. As he glanced at the redhead, his mind told him that moving around would help the blood flow through him. He'd also get his hands on something hot to drink, which would hopefully sedate his body enough for him to fall into a slumber.

He nodded his head, standing with the blanket cocooned around him. He wobbled over to Misty, nearly losing his balance. Fortunately, she held him securely, helping him get his footing back.

"Ash, get out of that, you look like a Metapod!" She chided.

He shook his head, pouting cheekily. "What's wrong with that? Besides, it helps me stay nice and warm."

He wasn't sure how, but suddenly Misty was standing next to him, the blanket enclosed around both of them. She giggled. "You're right, it _is_ warm."

Ash was almost grateful for the redness in his face, as he no longer felt the cold bouncing off his cheeks. He turned his head to hide his blush, playfully grumbling about having to share. He winced at the light jab to his ribs, glaring as he turned to face Misty, but falling silent at the amused expression she wore.

"Now, let's go get that hot chocolate." Misty whispered.

Ash's lips tugged upwards, nodding. With that, the pair clumsily hobbled into the kitchen, realizing how difficult it was to navigate in their situation but not daring to leave the safety of their blanket. After some effort, the refrigerator door stood before them, and it was at this moment that they realized someone would have to leave the safety of the sheet.

"Not it!"

Their gazes met, the competitive gleam in their eyes waging battle as they attempted to glare the other into submission. Unfortunately, neither faltered. Hoping to be sneaky, Misty attempted to loosen Ash away from the blanket. The boy was far too clever for that, however, and held tightly to the inside as Misty pulled. With their limited maneuverability tested to its limits, it wasn't long before balance abandoned them, and the world flew up and away as the pair fell to the floor. With the luck that had saved his life many times before, Ash, despite the one on the bottom, managed to avoid any major harm. As he opened his eyes, however, he realized he had other pressing matters to attend to.

A small breath was the only distance between their lips, and Misty's eyes stared deeply into his. They both forgot about the cold, or the hot chocolate, their minds occupied with their situation. It was difficult to move, what with the blanket restricting their movement. Ash gulped, exhaling deeply and shivering as the tip of his mouth grazed Misty's. The girl squeaked gently, raising herself up as much as possible. Then, to Ash's surprise, she sneered. Before he could react, she twisted forcefully, ejecting Ash from their shield. She stood up, holding the blanket close as she stuck her tongue out at him. It took the boy a few moments to recollect his thoughts, and when he did, a chill covered his body, and he rubbed his arms frantically. "Hey, that's not fair!"

Misty winked playfully. "Sorry, Ash, but you gotta make the hot chocolate now."

Ash groaned, glaring daggers at the girl. True, he was already in the cold, so he might as well prepare the beverages. Ignoring Misty's giggles and smirks, he proceeded to warm up two cups of cocoa in the microwave, his eye twitching when she stated that she wanted hers hotter. Without the blanket, the chill nipped at his skin, giving him goose bumps and miserable chills down his spine. Misty was silent, and the lack of any verbal noise was perturbing for him at this hour of night. He jumped lightly when the ring went off, mentally telling himself that he had nothing to worry about. He smiled at the aroma wafting into his nose as he reached inside, grabbing the first cup. He turned, and when Misty's figure was inches away from his, smiling, he once again lost control of his nerves. His heart leaped in surprised fear, and so did he. To his dismay, the hot drink did so as well, jerking from the confines of the cup and onto his hand, his shirt, and the floor.

"OW! OW! OW!" Ash hissed as silently as possible, whimpering as the cocoa boiled onto his hand. Reflexively, he rushed straight to the sink, turning on the cold water and letting his hand rinse underneath it.

"Ash, are you okay?" Misty's voice was full of worry as she examined the boy, her eyes glued to his hand.

"Y-yeah, I'm alright." The sting was already dying down, but his main concern was the fact that his hand was now nearly numb. Letting his hand soak under cold running water when the temperature was already as low as it was, however, definitely wasn't one of Ash's brighter ideas. Shutting the water off, he tenderly dried his hand, wincing at the way it looked. It was slightly red, and moving it too much reawakened the burning feeling.

He turned to Misty worryingly. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, her eyes fixed on his lightly shivering hand. "Is it bad?"

He smiled, although a small glimmer of pain jerked his grin. "It's not that bad. Just really, really cold now."

Misty frowned with a jokingly annoyed expression, leaving Ash to chuckle sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. She crossed her arms, before her gaze dropped to his chest. "Ash, your shirt."

"Hm? My shirt?" He glanced down, the light from the open microwave allowing him to see a large splotch on his stomach. He frowned, sighing. The shirt had protected his chest and stomach from the burn, but in its current condition, there was no way he could sleep in it.

"Do you need to change your shirt, Ash?"

He shook his head. "They're all dirty from training my Pokémon."

Misty frowned, but felt her heart nearly burst and her cheeks go aflame as Ash proceeded to remove his shirt. "Ash, you're gonna be colder!"

"Well, I can't sleep in this, can I?" He asked with chattering teeth, heading out of the kitchen. "I'm gonna go put this away. You can drink the hot chocolate if you want."

His last sentence was quieter, but she managed to pick it up. She turned to look at the second, untouched cup residing within the still-warm microwave. Taking it in hand, she returned to the living room, blowing into the cup and nestling down on the couch. With a final blow, she took a small sip, smiling blissfully at the silky warm flavor of the chocolaty drink. She helped herself to another taste when she heard Ash returning downstairs. In one part of her mind, she hoped Ash had been lucky and found another shirt, to save her from the humiliation of having to stare at his chest. Oh yes, she would stare; she would rather spill the drink in her hands over her entire body than admit that, but she knew she would. As he entered her field of vision, the other part of her mind, the one that _wanted_ him to remain shirtless, squealed in glee.

"You sure you'll be alright, Ash?" Misty inquired gently, taking a gander at his stomach for any burn marks. Purely to make sure he was safe, she convinced herself.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Ash smirked, though his shaking hands gave away the intense chill he tried desperately to hide.

Misty frowned at his discomfort, yet blushed at the idea she thought of. She swallowed hard, placing the cup on the coffee table and opened up the blanket to Ash. "We can share again, if you're cold."

His face lit up ecstatically. "Thanks, Misty!" Without a second thought, he leapt into the blanket, taking a corner and wrapping it around himself and Misty. The girl's lips went dry, feeling flustered as his bare shoulder grazed hers. She told herself she shouldn't be so uptight, such a nervous wreck, and that she should take just relax. She took a deep breath, exhaled to calm her nerves, and reached out to grab her cup, taking a third sip.

Of course, she'd seen Ash eye the cup many times since his return. She knew he craved a taste, and while she'd normally flaunt her possession, she felt charitable this night. "You want a drink?"

He stared at the cup with widened eyes, as if she were showing him a solid gold Poké Ball. "Can I?"

"Sure. Just don't drink all of it!"

He grinned, slowly taking it in hand. For unexplainable reasons, she watched him as the rim met his lips. Her ears steamed as she realized he'd just sipped where her lips has been. It wasn't a sip, however, because she could hear the gulp as he took a large drink.

"Ash, I said don't drink it all!"

The boy ceased his indulgence, glancing at her. "Well, I was thirsty, and it tastes good. And I'm warmer now." Despite his defense, Misty still glared at him irritably. He responded with an apologetic shrug, licking his lips of the excess chocolate.

Watching his tongue swerve over his mouth reddened her face, but thankfully, it went undetected. She heard him utter a small apology, handing over the hot drink. She wordlessly accepted it, and the pair sat in silence as Misty sipped away. Soon, an empty cup rested atop the small table, leaving the twosome to their thoughts. The snow continued to fall down, though the wind had gone silent.

Something softly bumped on her shoulder. A tuff of shaggy, onyx hair was the first thing that caught her eye as she examined the boy's head resting softly on her. Her cheeks turned a tender shade of scarlet as she jiggled his arm gently.

"Ash?" Her only response was a rough grunt, followed by Ash nestling onto her further. She sighed, then grinned. "Ash, if you're tired, I can go back to your room."

"Mmm…stay…warmer…" Her previous blush grew in strength, processing his words. She exhaled deeply, feeling joyous. More than anything at that moment, she'd love to sleep with Ash, but explaining the situation to him and her mom, as well as Brock and Pikachu, would be difficult. And-

Misty let out a quiet "Eep". Ash, in a half-asleep stupor, had wrapped his arms around her stomach, laying down to get comfortable and taking Misty with him. It was slightly uncomfortable, but she found herself positioned in Ash's arms. His small, tired breaths entered and exited her ears, causing them to pound in embarrassment. Her mind screamed to move and go back to Ash's bed, but his grip on her arm had no intention of easing up any time soon. She sighed in defeat, adjusting herself so that they both lay on their sides, facing each other. Her free hand ran through his strands of hair, enjoying the feeling as she watched him sleep. Unfortunately, whatever magic had put Ash to sleep was now working itself on her, and her eyelids grew heavy.

Placing the blanket over them, Misty shyly raised her lips to his forehead. She held them there for a moment, letting her heart leap and flutter in joy. Her hidden ambition completed, she took one last gaze at Ash before closing her eyes.

"Good night, Ash."

**xxxxx**

By SOME miracle, this fic was finished in one day! ONE DAY! =O Amazing, I tell ya!


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